Three people have been killed and at least seven injured in separate chain-reaction crashes on a major road in the US state of Arkansas.

Police said the first collision happened at about 11.45pm local time on Monday when an HGV slowed down on Interstate 49 and was hit from behind by another vehicle. A total of 10 vehicles were involved in the crash in the south-bound lanes of traffic.

At about the same time, three HGVs in the north-bound lanes collided directly across the median from the south-bound crash scene. Police said one of those trucks was carrying glue that spilled on to the road.

Officers are investigating whether fog may have contributed to the crashes, which occurred near the town of Fouke, about 160 miles south-west of Little Rock.